EP0688289A1 - Dispositif distributeur de fluide a usage unique - Google Patents

Dispositif distributeur de fluide a usage unique

Info

Publication number
EP0688289A1
EP0688289A1 EP94910198A EP94910198A EP0688289A1 EP 0688289 A1 EP0688289 A1 EP 0688289A1 EP 94910198 A EP94910198 A EP 94910198A EP 94910198 A EP94910198 A EP 94910198A EP 0688289 A1 EP0688289 A1 EP 0688289A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
nozzles
container according
side walls
bottle
dispensing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP94910198A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0688289B1 (fr
EP0688289A4 (fr
Inventor
Arthur L. Lifshey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Merck and Co Inc
Original Assignee
Merck and Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US08/027,966 external-priority patent/US5361947A/en
Priority claimed from US29/018,993 external-priority patent/USD359680S/en
Application filed by Merck and Co Inc filed Critical Merck and Co Inc
Publication of EP0688289A1 publication Critical patent/EP0688289A1/fr
Publication of EP0688289A4 publication Critical patent/EP0688289A4/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0688289B1 publication Critical patent/EP0688289B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
    • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
    • B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
    • B65D47/10—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages having frangible closures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
    • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
    • B65D47/06—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages
    • B65D47/18—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages for discharging drops; Droppers

Definitions

  • a significant problem with previous devices for dispensing liquid medications topically is that they are bulky, cumbersome, contain many parts, are not easily carried in a handbag or pocket, and are expensive to make. Additionally, the devices are generally designed for multiple applications or reuse which increases the potential for contamination and/or aging of the liquid medication through long term use.
  • the instant invention is a single use dispensing device designed for easy handling during application, easy twist-off/no tool opening, low cost and good distribution of the drug onto the subject being medicated.
  • a single use fluid dispensing device is provided with a bottle of suitable plastic material whose walls are convexed and a dispensing lid which consists of one or more extended outlets (nozzles) with openings, through which liquid is uniformly distributed.
  • the openings are sealed until immediatly before the device is to be used and result from the removal of break-off tabs, which act as a leakproof seal until the device is opened.
  • the shape of the bottle as well as the presence of internal cores, one or more internal ribs, or indented dimples determines the amount of liquid that is dispensed per pump stroke (full squeeze) of the bottle.
  • the extended nozzles provide a means to get beneath the fur of an animal to apply the liquid medication directly to the skin.
  • the outlets can be flow restricted by well known means, such as limiting the size of the opening, to also limit pump stroke volume.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide a single use fluid dispensing device that conveniently meters out its contents in several small controlled doses. Another object of the instant invention is to describe how the pump stroke volume is limited. Still another object of the invention is to provide a single use fluid dispensing device having a convexed body, internal cores, ribs, or indented dimples. Still another object of the invention is to provide a single use fluid dispensing device having nozzles which are flow restricted.
  • FIG. 1. is a perspective view of the dispensing device, wherein the walls of the bottle are convexed.
  • FIG. la. is a perspective view of the dispensing device of
  • FIG. 1 viewed before the dispensing lid is attached to the bottle.
  • FIG. 2. is a perspective view of the dispensing device positioned for dispensing liquids without the break ⁇ away tab.
  • FIG. 3. is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a nozzle with the break-away security tab attached.
  • FIG. 4. is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the bottle contains internal cores and also shows the break-off tab being removed for use of the device.
  • FIG. 5. is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the bottle contains internal ribs.
  • FIG. 6. is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, wherein the bottle contains indentations or indented dimples.
  • FIG. 7 is an illustration of the mechanism used to limit the pump stroke volume in FIG 1 , wherein the curved walls of the bottle goes from convex, to flat and then to concave.
  • FIG. 8. and 16 are perspective views of variants of the dispensing device having convexed walls with slightly different break-away tabs and adapted for large or smaller volume capacity.
  • FIGS. 9 and 13 are the top plan views of the device of Figures 8 and 16.
  • FIGS. 10 and 14 are the front elevational views thereof
  • FIGS. 11 and 17 are the side elevational views thereof
  • FIGS. 12 and 18 are the bottom plan views thereof.
  • This invention consists of a single use fluid dispensing device, which is intended for delivery of sterile fluids in 4 to 7 pump strokes for administration to any bodily surface, or intended for administration to the eye (ophthalmic fluids).
  • the dispensing device of the present invention has a sealed reservoir end for containing liquids and a dispensing end with one or more extended nozzles in a coplanar arrangement.
  • Each of the nozzles has at least one opening for dispensing liquid and each opening is sealed by a removable sealing means.
  • the reservoir end has paired inwardly deformable flexible side walls oppositely arranged which can be deformed by an inwardly applied force and reformed by releasing the force. The deformation is limited by pump stroke limiting means, whereby a full deformation of the side walls yields a fractional expulsion of the total liquid contents out of the nozzles and openings.
  • a key feature of this invention is its ability to conveniently meter out its contents in several small uniform doses (i.e., Multi-point Applicator-referring to the number of squeezes), which is achieved through a variety of mechanical displacement means, each of which may be used alone or in combination with each other.
  • the pump stroke limiting means are based on the fact that liquid is expressed from extended outlets (nozzles) through the squeezing action on the flexible bottle which causes a volumetric displacement within the bottle. The amount of liquid expressed from the nozzles is directly related to the volumetric displacement of the bottle. By limiting the amount of displacement per stroke the volume of liquid expressed per stroke is limited.
  • displacement is preferrably limited by one of three ways.
  • the first way is to add internal ribs or cores (see figures 4 and 5) to the interior of an injection molded flat or curved outer surface bottle.
  • the squeeze action encounters an obstruction caused by the contact with solid ribs on the opposing side or cores within the bottle. This obstruction limits further squeezing.
  • the user will then release the applied compressive load, which allows the bottle to return to its original shape, and prepares the applicator for its next stroke.
  • the factors which affect the number of strokes/unit dosage are height, quantity and geometry of the ribs, orifice size in the nozzles, geometric shape of the bottle and the modulus of elasticity of the plastic resin.
  • the second way for limiting stroke in the squeeze bottle of the present invention is through the use of molded-in dimples or indentations (See Figs. 6a and 6b).
  • the indentation acts the same as the rib or core in limiting the mechanical stroke of the bottle.
  • the third and most preferred means of stroke limitation uses a combination of the geometric shape of the bottle, mechanical properties of the polymeric resin, and to a certain extent hydraulic back pressure to limit the pumping stroke (See Figs. 1, 8 and 16).
  • the wall of the bottle acts as flat plates fixed on four edges.
  • the resistance to deflection is caused mostly by the bending stresses at the support.
  • membrane (tensile) stress become more significant, greatly increasing the force necessary to deflect the plate further.
  • This increase in resistance due to the mechanical properties of the plastic is additive to the back pressure generated by the hydraulic resistance of the liquid being forced through the orifices in the nozzles.
  • the walls of the bottle are not flat, but curved with a specific radius so that the squeeze stroke begins with the walls convex, passing through flat, and then concave. See Figure 7.
  • the curvature By controlling the curvature in this manner, the amount of volume displaced before high forces set in can be controlled. In general, decreased radius (more convex) will increase stroke while increasing radius (more flat) will decrease stroke.
  • Another key feature of this invention is the presence of one or more nozzles, each extending sufficiently from the bottle to allow easy access to the skin below the animals fur, thereby providing a "comb effect" when making multi-point applications.
  • the nozzle should be 1/3 to 2 inches (0.5 to 5 cm) in length depending upon the length of the hair and spacing of the nozzles.
  • the distance between the nozzles can range from 1/4 of an inch to 3 inches (0.5 to 8 cm), preferably 0.5 to 1 inches (1 to 3 cm).
  • the size of the openings in the nozzles is another means of limiting the volume displaced when using the device.
  • the fluid dispensing device 8 of the present invention varies in size and geometric shape and can be formed from a variety of materials such as, for example, soft or hard plastic, e.g., polypropylene, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, or other manually deformable material.
  • the dispensing device 8 can be produced in one or two pieces by conventional blow molding, injection molding, thermoforming, or various form fill seal technologies. It is to be understood that the device of the present invention is not limited to its manufacture by any specific process as it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many different manufacturing techniques can be employed.
  • Bottle 10 shown in Figures 1, 8 and 16 made of a suitable plastic material, has walls that are convexed to create limited pumping action and stiffness, (stiffness refers to the ability of the device to resist deflection under load) and is adapted to contain a liquid medication, preferrably a physiologically acceptable, topical liquid antiparasitic medication.
  • the neck of bottle 10 has a flange 10a which is complimentary in shape to the bottom of dispenser lid 12.
  • Dispenser lid 12 consists of a base 16 and nozzles 14a and 14b which are positioned on the topside of base 12a.
  • the nozzles are generally parallel and each contains one or more orifices, preferrably one, through which liquid is dispensed.
  • Bottle 10 is attached to dispenser lid 12 by thermally sealing flange 10a and the bottom portion of base 16 together.
  • dispensing device 8 can be produced as a single unit so that the dispenser lid is integral with bottle 10.
  • bottle 20 has internal cores 20a which are interposed in the bottle or one or more internal ribs 20b which are positioned on at least one wall of the bottle to limit the stroke in the bottle when it is squeezed.
  • Figs. 6a and 6b consists of a bottle which is produced with dimples or indentations 30a to limit stroke volume.
  • the liquid medication can be added to the container in several ways which would be obvious to one skilled in the art.
  • the liquid can be added to the bottle prior to thermally sealing the dispenser lid 12 to bottle 10; it can be added through one of the openings in the nozzle before sealing the openings with the break-off security tab; or it can be added through a fill spout 40 (Fig. 6a) in the bottle which is then thermally sealed.
  • the single use dispensing device provides a means to get beneath the fur of an animal and express the entire liquid contents of the bottle in several small doses.
  • the device is utilized by breaking or twisting off the break-off security tabs, positioning the container with the nozzle openings facing downward toward the animal beneath the fur of the animal's skin and applying from about 15% to 25%, preferrably 20%, of the total liquid medication to the skin of the animal with each pump stroke (full squeeze) of the bottle until the entire contents of the bottle has been dispensed.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une bouteille (10) distributrice flexible dont le contenu est fourni d'une manière avantageuse en plusieurs petites doses commandées. Le dispositif est conçu avec de multiples sorties saillantes (14a, 14b) destinées à faciliter l'accès sous la fourrure d'un animal (effet de 'peigne') et pour mieux répartir le produire de traitement. De plus, le dispositif utilise une combinaison de géométrie de bouteille et de rigidité des parois pour commander la capacité ainsi que le volume déplacé dans une opération de distribution. Les doses sont mesurées durant chaque cycle individuel de pompage provoqué par la compression de la bouteille.
EP94910198A 1993-03-08 1994-03-01 Dispositif distributeur de fluide a usage unique Expired - Lifetime EP0688289B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/027,966 US5361947A (en) 1993-03-08 1993-03-08 Single use fluid dispensing device
US27966 1993-03-08
US29/018,993 USD359680S (en) 1994-01-25 1994-01-25 Single use fluid dispensing container
PCT/US1994/002168 WO1994020379A1 (fr) 1993-03-08 1994-03-01 Dispositif distributeur de fluide a usage unique

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0688289A1 true EP0688289A1 (fr) 1995-12-27
EP0688289A4 EP0688289A4 (fr) 1996-09-04
EP0688289B1 EP0688289B1 (fr) 1998-11-25

Family

ID=26691711

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94910198A Expired - Lifetime EP0688289B1 (fr) 1993-03-08 1994-03-01 Dispositif distributeur de fluide a usage unique

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0688289B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH08507485A (fr)
AU (1) AU6274094A (fr)
CA (1) CA2157026A1 (fr)
DK (1) DK0688289T3 (fr)
GR (1) GR3029270T3 (fr)
WO (1) WO1994020379A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2799738B1 (fr) 1999-10-13 2002-02-01 Oreal Embout de distribution a partie d'extremite secable et recipient ainsi equipe
US8668400B2 (en) * 2007-04-05 2014-03-11 The Hartz Mountain Corporation Fluid applicator
US8109236B2 (en) 2007-04-05 2012-02-07 Sumitomo Corporation Of America Fluid delivery assembly
US20110092922A1 (en) * 2009-10-19 2011-04-21 Trompen Mick A Transdermal dispensing apparatus and methods

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5337924A (en) * 1993-03-08 1994-08-16 Conros Corporation Integral pump bottle

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3353721A (en) * 1966-09-06 1967-11-21 Jefferson C Love Multi-use applicator
SE458986B (sv) * 1985-03-29 1989-05-29 Draco Ab Dosfoerpackning
JPS6433070U (fr) * 1987-08-22 1989-03-01

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5337924A (en) * 1993-03-08 1994-08-16 Conros Corporation Integral pump bottle

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO9420379A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU6274094A (en) 1994-09-26
CA2157026A1 (fr) 1994-09-15
EP0688289B1 (fr) 1998-11-25
EP0688289A4 (fr) 1996-09-04
JPH08507485A (ja) 1996-08-13
WO1994020379A1 (fr) 1994-09-15
DK0688289T3 (da) 1999-08-09
GR3029270T3 (en) 1999-05-28

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